On our first of two training days, the energy was high and our focus was centred. It had to be. We didn't have a choice. At this point, we had never seen or jumped the aircraft that was being used for the event - a Caravan 208. We chose an E-exit as our first as it’s the exit we would most use for the meet. It’s also the more difficult exit for outside center to execute correctly and at the correct orientation. Berns on camera also faced the challenge of having to get the exit shot and be in the perfect spot to ensure no camera bust. 

The 10^th Annual Tonto Boogie was held at the Johannesburg Skydiving Club on the 23-25 November 2018.

This marks the 11^th year anniversary of the passing of Skydiving Instructor Eric “tonto” Stephenson, who is honoured every year for his contribution to the sport of skydiving, instruction and safety. Skydivers from dropzones around the country and abroad joined the Johannesburg Skydiving Club members to do jumps over the 3-day celebration.

Tonto was also remembered for his charitable personality, with skydivers donating cash and food for the local disadvantaged community.

This year, the POPS (Parachutists over Phorty) got together to do big way skydives and built a 15-way formation over the Carletonville airfield. The 2 pilots flying the Kudu and Atlas Angel were Johno Gouws and Grant Timms. The planes were flying in close formation to allow for the larger formations.

The Freeflyers got together with Coaching from Andre Du Preez who flew up from Cape Town to spread his skill and plan fun jumps for the crew.

The Wingsuiters, Gert Louis Cilliers, Brendon Nortier and Dylan Hemer joined ranks with Matteo Pagani on his 69sqf Fluid Wings, loaded up with 20kg of weight, to fly some XRW jumps.

Many thanks to everyone for the support including Billy Sharman and Skydive Pretoria, the Coaches and load organisers and of course the JSC team and staff for making it all happen.

We look forward to hosting you all again next year.

Bev Cosslett, D802

When I received a request from Jorrie Jordaan to consider a SA POPS record at the 2018 tonto boogie, I just could not resist the challenge! (You can always rely on the coastal guys for their creativity.)

I immediately made contact with our SA Top Pop Ken Elliott who then shared the bad news that he is currently recovering from an injury and that he was actually looking for a successor after dedicating ten years to POPS SA as Top Pop. Ken has done a sterling job having grown the POP SA family to 110 members.

Ken enquired about my interest and previous experience in POPS-related activities. When I mentioned being on the POPS World Record in 2016, that was it! I was to be his successor as TOP POP in South Africa. Seeing that life is just too short to refuse any challenge of any kind, I agreed in total anticipation, humbled by his trust in me to take over his important role.

I immediately started to gather existing POPS members for the tonto boogie while recruiting new ones where I could. The plan: building a POPS 17-way at the tonto boogie hosted by Johannesburg Skydiving Club. We arranged two Angels flying in formation as our jump ships, equipped with oxygen support.

When the tonto boogie eventually arrived, we had some changes to meet and blowing away of cobwebs, but most of all, we had SO much fun! We did run into some bad weather but the spirits remained high and eventually we managed to build a 15-way formation on the Sunday morning.

Despite a few small grip management issues, the formation flew nicely, but we unfortunately could not nominate it as an South African POPS Record.

This has now only increased our excitement to do a next attempt early in the new year, most likely the weekend of the 26^thJanuary 2019.

Having that said, calling all POPS members to fun stations!

We have some great plans for next year. In addition to the SA recorda attempt, we’re also thinking of an African continental POPS record at the Makgadikgadi Epic in Botswana as the boogie will be swarming with International POPS Skygods such as Dan BC and others. (Hold thumbs on that one, we are eagerly waiting for some date and venue confirmation from our Botswana connections!)

I will keep you all posted.

Eugene (Pottie) Potgieter
Top POP 3

If you are over Phorty and would like to join POPS,
you can get an application form here.

It's not too late to make plans to attend one or both of the events below:

The Diaz Beach Boogie, hosted by Skydive Mossel Bay, takes place from 15 to 31 December.

Skydivers at all levels are welcome, including progression students, A licence holders and higher.

There will be jumps from 14,000 feet, 4 different beaches, brilliant prizes, live bands, inflatable boat jumps, lots of beer, good food and good friends.

What you can expect:

• DZ Shuffle to Skydive Oudtshoorn for lunch n punch.

• Diaz Beach landing and pool party.

• Santos Beach landing and boat booze cruise.

• Wilderness Beach landing and breakfast at Beejuice Café.

• Groot Brak Beach landing with dinner at Vette Mossel (eat as much as you can).

• International as well as South African load organizers.

• Freefly and FS coaches.

• Visiting skydivers from all around the globe.

Email Monica to get onto the mailing list for updates and specials on the boogie.

The Gauteng Summer Jol takes place from 26 to 31 December at Skydive Pretoria.

Load organising:

We are excited to announce that the South African Indoor Nationals in FS Open for 2019 will be held at the Bodyflight World Challenge next year in UK.

Date: Friday the 5th and Saturday the 6th of April, 2019

Discipline: Formation Skydiving

Event: 4-way Open/AAA

Venue: Bodyflight Bedford, Twinwoods Business Park, Thurleigh Road, Milton Ernest, Bedfordshire MK44 1FD, United Kingdom.

Click here for registration and Event Details.

Registrations are open NOW.

Any team competing in this South African Indoor Nationals should inform the SSA FS Committee. This event will be the selection event for FAI/IPC indoor competitions (2020 WCIS etc). Please register your team with Bodyflight Bedford directly, and inform SSA FS committee to keep your team updated about competition rules, etc.  If you have any queries, please contact Mohan.

We’re excited to introduce PASA members to our new look website. Check it out here.

Huge thanks to Jo Curnow at 1TightShip and Claire King and Dirk Venter at Namespace for making it happen.